I didn’t know about the Detroit Free Press article, “The play was just meh, but the usher was triumph” until reading these comments and replies. Great article, thanks for the reference.
One of the letters today refers to the Grand Theater in St Paul. Having grown up on Grand Ave and living again in the neighborhood, I am quite sure it is the Grandview Theater that you both have in mind. It was not where I went to see movies as a kid, however. The Uptown on Grand and Lexington and the St Clair were closer. They are both long gone. (Well, the St Clair is now a dance center.) But the Grandview lives on, still sporting its art deco facade, and an easy walk from my front door. Next time you’re in town we should take in a movie there.
Singing is a balm for wellness, no matter our voice. Find a song you like, pull it up on youtube.com. Hum then sing with the singers Here's one that fits the season:
Michael Bublé & Bing Crosby - White Christmas - YouTube
When our 3 tweens, my husband, and I, traveled many times in the mid 90's from our Maryland home to visit Grandmere (yes) in Texas for the holidays, we could only afford the gas money to get there, but not the motel for the 24 hour trip, so hubby and I took shifts at the wheel on interstate 81 and 40 through the night. Kids in the back amused themselves with writing, sleeping and generally annoying each other until it got too rambunctious and I declared "time for Lake Wobegon !" The moans and groans from the rear drowned out the sound of the CD cranked up from the front seat, ...until the after the first few words of the well known stories would sound out from the speakers. It only took about 3 minutes for the car to become a stage for the performance that all of us knew almost by heart. 23 years later our oldest treated us to a real stage performance the Prairie Home Companion in Texas and then came home and recited the whole script verbatim to his wife who stayed home with the grandkids. Best gift ever.
We drove many a mile playing your tapes with our kids in the backseat listening along …. Later we met a great young father raising two sons …. Gave him our tapes to enjoy with his boys … became part of their bedtime rituals….. All four are fine young men thanks in part to the magic of Lake Woebegone and your voice ❤️☕️
Religion, whatever the variety, color or hue, is a human emotional reaction to the unknown and to our short period of physical and intellectual consciousness on our little beautiful planet. We are imaginative creatures which has enabled us to be who we are and understand our environment and ourselves. Wow! What an incredible experience. Love makes us who we are. As Philip Larkin wrote, "What will survive of us is love." Religion? Politics? O.K..and ...all we all need to do is love.
Remembering when, sometimes, I’d arrive at a shopping center, theater or restaurant parking lot on a Saturday evening listening to the end of PHC. As soon as Keillor wrapped up his news from Lake Wobegon, all around me car doors opened simultaneously.
I watched the show online on Saturday. I loved the whole thing and I'm already looking forward to the Christmas show. Your duet of "Why Worry" with Heather Masse was one of the highlights for me--so much so that I logged onto shop.garrisonkeillor.com and ordered a copy of the Beautiful Dreamer CD. Your other collaborators and guests were wonderful as well--Walter Bobbie, Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra, Christine DiGiallonardo, Ross Lekites, Richard Dworsky, Tim Russell, Sue Scott, Fred Newman--everyone. All of you put together a truly memorable show. I also want to thank you for opening my eyes to the MECCA movement and the Secret Service's psychiatric detail. 🤣
My favorite works of yours may be those in which you politely railed, and those are now history, which of course is perfectly just and I don’t complain. So much is of course perfectly -- ok, perhaps sometimes just a bit imperfectly -- just, and no, no, I do not complain. Nope. That wall, though -- Is that, um, outrageous? Or is it art? Or even somewhere else on the spectrum?
We were at your Palm Desert (CA) show Monday night, and enjoyed it immensely -- of course! Interested to note that your live presentations (non-PHC) are quite a bit "earthier" than the radio shows, but love the limericks best. Thank you, and keep at it. Your stories are fondly remembered!
Hey, Old White Guy! You never have been, and never will be Just one in a box of tin soldiers that all look the same! Sometimes, when I'm "Dumpster Dipping for Charity", I take refuge in the thought that I'm "Just Another Old White Dame!" And, since, proportionally, you've been a "Voice on the Radio" more than a face before the public, I can understand that you might be able to walk a block or two down Broadway or in St. Paul without someone rushing up for your autograph, or a selfie!
But, you're not just a physical body! You're a KINDRED SPIRIT! As such, THERE ARE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS, OR BILLIONS OF FOLKS AROUND THE WORLD who carry the Prairie Home spirit in their hearts and minds! You're more than just YOU. You're a WAY OF LIFE that we're proud to be part of!
Love this. One or two suggestions---sing louder, sing longer.
Don't stop singing whenever you can!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwKc05_6ItY
Here's a good one for these coming weeks!
I didn’t know about the Detroit Free Press article, “The play was just meh, but the usher was triumph” until reading these comments and replies. Great article, thanks for the reference.
Wonderful. Thank you and Happy Advent!
One of the letters today refers to the Grand Theater in St Paul. Having grown up on Grand Ave and living again in the neighborhood, I am quite sure it is the Grandview Theater that you both have in mind. It was not where I went to see movies as a kid, however. The Uptown on Grand and Lexington and the St Clair were closer. They are both long gone. (Well, the St Clair is now a dance center.) But the Grandview lives on, still sporting its art deco facade, and an easy walk from my front door. Next time you’re in town we should take in a movie there.
May I offer the two graces we sing before dinner? The first is very short:
We are thankful for our food,
Amen, Amen.
The second is very like the one you suggested. It was taught to me by my Quaker grandmother, Mary Sutton White, born in 1881:
Be present at our table, Lord,
Be here, and everywhere adored.
These mercies bless and grant that we
May feast in fellowship with Thee.
JOHN BLAINE
Anchorage, AK
Singing is a balm for wellness, no matter our voice. Find a song you like, pull it up on youtube.com. Hum then sing with the singers Here's one that fits the season:
Michael Bublé & Bing Crosby - White Christmas - YouTube
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=white+christmas+bing+crosby&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
When our 3 tweens, my husband, and I, traveled many times in the mid 90's from our Maryland home to visit Grandmere (yes) in Texas for the holidays, we could only afford the gas money to get there, but not the motel for the 24 hour trip, so hubby and I took shifts at the wheel on interstate 81 and 40 through the night. Kids in the back amused themselves with writing, sleeping and generally annoying each other until it got too rambunctious and I declared "time for Lake Wobegon !" The moans and groans from the rear drowned out the sound of the CD cranked up from the front seat, ...until the after the first few words of the well known stories would sound out from the speakers. It only took about 3 minutes for the car to become a stage for the performance that all of us knew almost by heart. 23 years later our oldest treated us to a real stage performance the Prairie Home Companion in Texas and then came home and recited the whole script verbatim to his wife who stayed home with the grandkids. Best gift ever.
We drove many a mile playing your tapes with our kids in the backseat listening along …. Later we met a great young father raising two sons …. Gave him our tapes to enjoy with his boys … became part of their bedtime rituals….. All four are fine young men thanks in part to the magic of Lake Woebegone and your voice ❤️☕️
Religion, whatever the variety, color or hue, is a human emotional reaction to the unknown and to our short period of physical and intellectual consciousness on our little beautiful planet. We are imaginative creatures which has enabled us to be who we are and understand our environment and ourselves. Wow! What an incredible experience. Love makes us who we are. As Philip Larkin wrote, "What will survive of us is love." Religion? Politics? O.K..and ...all we all need to do is love.
Remembering when, sometimes, I’d arrive at a shopping center, theater or restaurant parking lot on a Saturday evening listening to the end of PHC. As soon as Keillor wrapped up his news from Lake Wobegon, all around me car doors opened simultaneously.
I watched the show online on Saturday. I loved the whole thing and I'm already looking forward to the Christmas show. Your duet of "Why Worry" with Heather Masse was one of the highlights for me--so much so that I logged onto shop.garrisonkeillor.com and ordered a copy of the Beautiful Dreamer CD. Your other collaborators and guests were wonderful as well--Walter Bobbie, Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra, Christine DiGiallonardo, Ross Lekites, Richard Dworsky, Tim Russell, Sue Scott, Fred Newman--everyone. All of you put together a truly memorable show. I also want to thank you for opening my eyes to the MECCA movement and the Secret Service's psychiatric detail. 🤣
My favorite works of yours may be those in which you politely railed, and those are now history, which of course is perfectly just and I don’t complain. So much is of course perfectly -- ok, perhaps sometimes just a bit imperfectly -- just, and no, no, I do not complain. Nope. That wall, though -- Is that, um, outrageous? Or is it art? Or even somewhere else on the spectrum?
We were at your Palm Desert (CA) show Monday night, and enjoyed it immensely -- of course! Interested to note that your live presentations (non-PHC) are quite a bit "earthier" than the radio shows, but love the limericks best. Thank you, and keep at it. Your stories are fondly remembered!
Hey, Old White Guy! You never have been, and never will be Just one in a box of tin soldiers that all look the same! Sometimes, when I'm "Dumpster Dipping for Charity", I take refuge in the thought that I'm "Just Another Old White Dame!" And, since, proportionally, you've been a "Voice on the Radio" more than a face before the public, I can understand that you might be able to walk a block or two down Broadway or in St. Paul without someone rushing up for your autograph, or a selfie!
But, you're not just a physical body! You're a KINDRED SPIRIT! As such, THERE ARE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS, OR BILLIONS OF FOLKS AROUND THE WORLD who carry the Prairie Home spirit in their hearts and minds! You're more than just YOU. You're a WAY OF LIFE that we're proud to be part of!